Express readers who cherished fond memories enjoyed our trip on the north side of Lock Haven. Let’s brighten our days of yesteryear and walk east on Main Street, from Henderson to Vesper.

Your downtown was vibrant. To slow speeding traffic and encourage shopping, our quaint City was a town without a 2-lane highway and breakneck traffic! Look and listen today.

Walking on Main you might first see Montour Heating, Candor’s Gulf, Hanna Service Station, Douglas Peddie’s Magisterial Courtroom, Homle’s Linoleum, Neff TV, Bottorf Beverage and Francie’s Beauty Salon. Soon you’d arrive at Firestone (now Shannon Tire & Auto Center) across from Renninger’s Roxy Theatre and Ritter’s Locksmiths.

For the present moment in the next block you’d find the Garden Theatre (County offices) and across the street, car dealer Bill Cook’s Irwin Hotel (demolished for a parking lot). You’d pass Edna Lockhart and Leo Vucollo’s E&L Restaurant followed by Gee Vucollo’s Barber Shop and, in earlier years, the Ralph R. Myers Sporting Goods Store.

Next, on the second floor of Tommy Thompson’s Paint Store and Art Condo’s Print Shop was the Odd Fellows IOOF Hall. Behind this 1849 Moorehead-Irwin House Building (now Stella A’s Restaurant) was Uncle Al Poorman’s Tin Shop, near the old Weis Pure Food Store.

Soon you’d arrive at historic George W. Mason’s Drug Store (now Opera House Apartments) with a second floor musician’s gallery that would seat 1,200!). Across the street was Commercial Credit, Budget Finance, Sears Roebuck, Williams/Anastos/Klaras Texas Lunch, Blesh Hudson Auto (1907-1959), Janet Reed’s Janet’s Restaurant (featuring the “Janetburger”), Chen’s Chinese Restaurant, Chip & Eddie’s Tavern (the city’s alleged gay bar), Judy Eyer’s Cafe, Bud & Faye’s iconic Davis Restaurant, Lock Haven Electric, Simon Scott House (c.1854) with the Elks Club Annex (soon to open as a brewpub), Irene Watson’s News Stand and a host of other small shops.

If you crossed Grove Street you’d find the four-story stately and enduring Masonic Temple (c.1923) that was originally the Central Hotel site, before razed in 1923, and across the street, my own “Heffner Building” (that I re-named in honor of Mayor Edgar F. Heffner Sr. 1875-1953). Upon purchasing the prominent Heffner Building, I lettered its corner “Historic Lock Haven.”

On the first floor, Lester Widmann and Phillip Teah, two gentlemen with illustrious careers, founded 52 drug stores throughout the Commonwealth including five in Lock Haven. They offered tasty cherry cokes and authentic ice cream sodas made with CO2 gas.

Mr. Widmann signaled me one rainy morning on the streets of Coudersport, invited me into his black limousine and explained many factors I should consider when selecting new markets for my growing chain of music stores. I followed his advice for years. He lived on Water Street in the big brick mansion with the slate roof. Mr. Widmann, also the Commonwealth Bank Board President, was one of many entrepreneurs kind enough to convey business strategies. I came to realize it was wise to pay attention to advice from elders.

Mr. Teah’s widow resided in the “white elephant home” on the corner of Vesper and Water where the Lugg, Snowiss, Steinberg & Faulkner Law Firm was housed for years. Widmann’s, I. Lipez Warehouse, Asper Enterprises, Snowiss Fur, Bloomsburg Mills, Woolrich Industries, Clinton Paper, Sylvania and Piper Aircraft are among many medium and large local firms with national distribution facilities.

I opened a Radio Shack, Big Red Note World of Music and my corporate offices in The Heffner Building and from those offices, grew the chain to 17 outlets throughout the country, eventually being recognized as the 9th largest full-line music store chain in the United States.

At age 5, I began piano studies at the Earle Kenneth Mayes School of Music on the second floor of The Heffner Building, next to Shaffer’s Dentist office. Ironically, my private office is today located in the very same room where, 69 years ago, Mr. Mayes housed his Steinway piano and Hammond Organ. In those years, even upper floors with 22 steps were utilized.

The Smith & Winters Department Store followed The Heffner Building and along Grove Street was Bill John’s Bar-B-Q Chicken, Charlie’s Barber Shop, Nicastro’s Deli, Dr. Brown’s office, Dr. Brandt’s Ophthalmologist Center, Dr. Wise’s Chiropractic Center, Kathryn and Mary Jo’s Johnson’s Beauty Salon, Dr. Wise and Christopher Darwin’s Saloon and many other businesses.

Back on Main Street was Addie Rinella’s Gift Shop, Silco’s Discount Store, State Liquor Store, Martin Theatre (razed in 1960) f.k.a. Lyric Theatre (c.1911), Sam, Ron and Warren Pete’s Smart Shop, Brown’s Boot Shop, Thorson’s Buttorf’s Shoe Store, Lester’s Men’s Shop, the unique Achenbach & Sons Ice Cream and Catering Shop (which became Sam and Mike Hoy’s Men’s Store, Mangan’s Bakery, Roy Herlocker’s Henry’s Restaurant (Herlocker Dipping Mustard family), J. J. Newberrys (recently The Thrift Store), Gary Derr’s Stationery Store, Fred J. Eiseman Jewelry Store and Weaver & Probst Men’s Store, located in the Proctor Myers and Thomas Harmon Buildings.

You’d have seen Herr’s Dairy Store, REVCO Drug Store (Academy of Music Building with second-floor theatre), Mailman’s Jewelry Store and Kelly & Bob Shadle’s Department Store.

While we can’t dwell on the past, we can remember it. After taking a carpet sales course at age 12, I attempted to secure a job in the Shadle’s Department Store. Old Mr. Shadle chuckled and said, “you’re only a kid. you’re too young to work. But tell me about yourself, and your hobbies.” When I mentioned coin collections, he pulled tin pretzel cans from his closet that were full of old silver dollars and proudly showed me his collection. He gave me a silver dollar and said, “Now you come back when you’re 16.”

Nearby was the TLM Record Shop, Dean Phipps Auto Store, the 1856 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (destroyed by fire during the 1936 flood, along with 82 damaged homes), the 1890 Lock Haven Trust Company (now Northwest Savings Bank), Widmann Drug Store and 100 East Main Street, a fine dining restaurant owned by John and Joyce Gummo. This beautiful building (now Sandpiper Designs) was recognized as the state’s most historically significant restoration project. Lock Haven’s architecture is magnificent, and I’m uncertain why we are so quick to tear it down!

I also purchased the nearby Amelia Simon’s Building (c.1883). Mrs. Simon was a German immigrant, first female businesswoman in the region and operator of a three-story “provisions store.” I restored the building and in 1984, converted it to the “Penny Lane Mini-Mall.”

Development isn’t for the fainthearted. I recall The Beatles’ law firm threatening to sue me for using the name “Penny Lane” with their theme music, but I took the risk in hopes that John and Paul wouldn’t care. The Simon Building housed businesses such as the State Store, Original Italian Pizza, Pete and Stella Procos Sandwich Shop a.k.a. Roy Miles Sandwich Shop, Mexican Restaurant, Evelyn Garbrick’s Alterations, Steve Caruso’s Toys for Tot’s, Abby Pete and Karen Insley’s Tastebuds Deli, Richard and Jean Novosel’s Big Dipper Ice Cream, Nicholas Country Store, Eddie and Gemma Montarsi’s Beauty Salon, Mark Caruso’s Video, Melva Lucas’s Ding-a-Ling Phone Shop, Sheila Russo’s Dress Shop, WBPZ Radio Station, Bob Simcox Records, Rachael Bischof’s Dance Studio, Matt Clark’s Cafe, Eddie Drucker’s Pool Hall, Harter Sporting Goods and other businesses.

Over the years, I came to know most of the owner-friends and enjoyed business relationships with hundreds of people that offered any products or service imaginable. You may know of many more entrepreneurs of yesteryear. To find more, purchase “Images of America, Lock Haven,” by Maria J. Boileau and available on Amazon.

This three-block section of the City’s bustling downtown produced annual sales over ten million dollars, generated much tax revenue and provided employment to the community.

Were boulevard chain stores and franchises (which receive TIF, LERTA and other tax abatements) really needed, or is it more logical to support local businesses and keep your money in the area? If you want to learn more about the real loss of your hard-earned tax dollars, pretend someone is eating 75% of your pizza. You decide.

Stephen Poorman is a longtime area resident and business consultant.